Clinical Kerry through to All-Ireland final after Tyrone triumph
Sunday 23 August 2015 19:57, UK
Kerry are through to the All-Ireland SFC final after a clinical performance left them 0-18 to 1-11 winners over Tyrone.
It was a tight, riveting contest in Croke Park that was in no way dampened by the weather as Tyrone opened brightly.
They applied pressure immediately, pushing up on Kerry's first kick-out and creating a turnover for Darren McCurry to score.
He added a second soon after but Kerry got a foothold through Johnny Buckley who hit three points on the bounce.
The contest then settled down into an ebb-and-flow rhythm, marked by tenacious defending and high-quality scores.
James O'Donoghue took up a deep position for Kerry and his play-making abilities and striking action from placed balls kept his side in front but Tyrone always looked dangerous on the break.
The diminutive Mark Bradley was a tormenting presence, so too Conor McAliskey and he brought a despairing tackle out of Marc O Se that saw the veteran defender black-carded.
Soon after, McAliskey skipped through the heart of the Kingdom's defence after snaffling a turnover, but he blazed over the bar with Darren McCurry, bellowing to be played in for a certain goal, on his outside.
It was an opportunity missed for Tyrone who would create and miss further goal chances as the game wore on but Kerry finished the first half ahead when Kieran Donaghy pointed after a trademark catch and spin.
Significantly, he would not see action again with Eamonn Fitzmaurice sending in Paul Geaney for the second-half and his performance was to bring an important tactical change.
Kick-out after kick-out, Kerry scuppered Tyrone in the third quarter and Geaney and the Gooch began to make game winning gains.
Kerry's ability to capitalise on Tyrone's errors widened the chink of daylight to two, three and then four points.
But based on the evidence of the first-half it was obvious that Tyrone would get their time again and their attacks were searing when they came.
Bradley produced a huge save from Brendan Kealy after a blistering run by Conor Meyler and then Tieran McCann was wide of the Kerry stopper's left hand upright.
But a goal was coming and Peter Harte dispatched a perfect penalty after Maurice Deegan blew for an illegal take down.
It was all set up for a frantic finish and Bradley swept over a sumptuous effort to level the game before Anthony Maher and Geaney reasserted Kerry's lead with scores full of composure.
Energy wise, Tyrone weren't spent yet but despite their efforts the percentages continued to fall against them.
Niall Morgan squandered another long free opportunity before Barry John Keane - who entered as a substitute - curled over a victory confounding score.
Kerry: B Kealy; P Murphy, M Ó Sé, S Enright; J Lyne, P Crowley, K Young; A Maher (0-1), D Moran; S O'Brien (0-2), J Buckley (0-3), D Walsh (0-1); C Cooper (0-2, 1f), K Donaghy (0-1), J O'Donoghue (0-4, 2f, 1 '45).
Subs: F Fitzgerald for O Se (16, Black Card), P Geaney (0-3, 2f) for Donaghy (HT), B Sheehan for Moran (55), D O'Sullivan for O'Brien (60), A O'Mahony for Crowley (62), BJ Keane (0-1) for Walsh (64).
Tyrone: N Morgan (0-1, 1f); A McCrory, R McNamee, C McCarron; R McNabb (0-1), J McMahon, P Harte (1-0 pen); C Cavanagh (0-1), M Donnelly (0-1); T McCann, M Bradley (0-2), C Meyler; D McCurry (0-3, 1f), S Cavanagh, C McAliskey (0-2).
Subs: P McNulty for Meyler (47), C Clarke for McNamee (55, Black Card), B Tierney for McCrory (55).
Ref: M Deegan (Laois).
